Permaculture Plants: Bamboo

Common Name: BambooScientific Name:Bambuseae Tribe (there are 9 Subtribes, 91 Genera, and about over 1,500 species!)Family: Poaceae (the Grass family)Selected Species: See the table at the end of the article for Bamboo Species ideal for a Temperate Climate.

Sweetshoot Bamboo, China’s top edible BambooPhyllostachys dulcis

Description:I have put off writing an article on Bamboo for a number of years. Even though it is one of the most useful plants on Earth, there are just so many species that the thought of working through them was a bit overwhelming. Well, I finally decided to suck it up and get on with it. Interestingly, right before this article was published, Geoff Lawton released a video on growing Bamboo! Of course, this was a coincidence, but it is still fun to say, “great minds think alike!” (You can see Geoff Lawton’s video on Bamboo here)

Geoff highlighted four species (Bambusa multiplex/glaucescens ‘Alphonse Karr’, Bambusa textilis var. gracilis, Bambusa oldhamii, Bambusa multiplex ‘Fern Leaf’) in his video. All these species grow in Zones 8 or warmer. Temperate Climates do include Zone 8, but there are many other species that can withstand temperatures down to -15 F (-26 C)… that is at least Zone 5, and some species can grow in Hardiness Zone 4! The problem for me was trying to find information on these plants. The information is out there, but it is scattered all over the place. As always, when I research something, I share my findings.

Bamboo truly is the epitome of a Permaculture plant. It can be used for food, fiber, fuel, fodder, medicine, building, and more. It can stabilize and regenerate the landscape. It feeds and shelters wildlife. And it is quite beautiful as well. While best known as a tropical or subtropical plant, unless you have very, very cold Winters, there is a Bamboo plant for you. Bamboo should be growing in all Forest Gardens!

Phyllostachys dulcis

History:
Bamboo is native to native to every continent but Europe and Antarctica. It can be found in the hot tropics to cold, snowy mountains. They have had historic economic and cultural significance in Asia for thousands of years. In the last few decades, the rest of the world has really started to understand the relevance of this plant.

Trivia:

Bamboo does not go to flower very often. Depending on the species, this can be once every 20-130 years! Interestingly, all Bamboo of the same species will go to flower at the same time, regardless of where in the world they are. Scientists still do not know how or why this happens!

Once a Bamboo plant is done flowering, it will die.

Bamboo shoots can grow surprisingly fast. In fact, it hold the Guinness World Record as the fast growing plant on Earth. One plant had shoots that were recorded as growing 35 inches (91 cm) in 24 hours!

Bamboo shoots will get taller and wider each year until the stand of Bamboo reach maturity.

New shoots are roughly the same diameter as the mature cane.

Bamboo plants may produce double the number of shoots each year – this is why they are notorious for spreading.

Bamboo grows up (from shoots) pretty fast, but they can also grow out (from their roots/rhizomes) as well.

Bamboo is typically classified as either running or clumping.

Running types of Bamboo have rhizomes (underground stems, leptomorph type) that can put up new shoots a few feet or yards (meters) away from the mother plant. They can spread up to 15 feet per year, but 3-5 feet in more typical.

Clumping Bamboo still has rhizomes, but they are a different type (pachymorph type), and they expand very slowly – too slowly to be considered running, they grow in clumps.

Many people harvest the shoots or cut them down to prevent running Bamboo from spreading.

Some people will install a rhizome barrier which blockes the expansion of the underground stems.

For the most part, all Bamboo species in colder Temperate Climates are running types. Almost all species that can tolerate hot and humid Summers and cool to cold Winters (like the southeastern United States) are running types as well. The clumping species of Bamboo that can handle the cold tend to be smaller, but these species are less tolerant of heat and humidity. This is why almost all the species listed in the table below are running types.

USING THIS PLANT

UsesI typically divide this section in to Primary and Secondary uses, but Bamboo has so many incredible uses, that it is almost impossible to say which is “primary” and which is “secondary”.

Edible Shoots – While all Bamboo shoots are considered edible, some are better than others, and only about 100 are used for food. Typically, the larger species are used more often, since the smaller shoots are not considered worthwhile to harvest. Many species produce significant levels of toxins (precursors to cyanide), but these toxins are quickly destroyed and rendered harmless at high temperatures. Cooking (boiling is most common) the shoots not only makes them safe to eat, but makes them more tender.

General insect (especially bees) nectar and pollen plant; however, Bamboo does not flower frequently enough to be major benefit

Hedge Species – fantastic privacy screen, and in warmer climates, Bamboo is used as a much needed shade producing plant

Erosion Control Species – the extensive root system helps stabilize soils prone to erosion.

Dam/Pond Wall Stabilization – Bamboo’s extensive, fibrous, and shallow root system is great for stabelizing and protecting a pond or dam wall.

Bioremediation Species – Bamboo can be used as a fast-growing plant to help clean and detoxify environments

Bamboo shoot breaking through the soil.

Harvesting a Bamboo shoot with a sharp, narrow shovel.

Bamboo shoots for sale in a market.

Bamboo shoot being split and hard outer layers peeling off.

Another split Bamboo shoot.

Cleaned Bamboo shoots ready to cook!

Yield: Variable.Harvesting: “Winter” shoots are harvested in late Winter. These are harvested before the shoots erupt through the soil; they are small and very tender. “Spring” shoots are harvested in the Spring, of course. These are harvested before they reach 10-12 inches (25-30 cm). Then there are the “Summer” shoots. These are harvested from Bamboo species that produce shoots in the Summer. Harvest shoots that are short and wide, solid and heavy for their size. Shoots are typically cut at soil level with a sharp-bladed shovel. The hard, tough husk is peeled off, sometimes a few layers at a time, until the pale, edible core is released. The fibrous base is cut back. Sometimes the tip also needs to be removed. The shoots are cut to relatively uniform size for even cooking. They can be boiled, steamed, grilled, etc. If boiling, use salted water, and boil for about 20 minutes. Many species of Bamboo shoots need a few fresh water changes, a second boiling, and/or a slow simmer to make them tender and not bitter. Other species can be trimmed and placed on the grill, ready to eat after cooked for a few minutes.Storage: Harvested shoots that are unpeeled can be stored in a refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. They should be wrapped in wet paper towels, but not plastic; they need to breathe. They should also be kept out of the sun, this will increase their bitterness. Peeled shoots can only be stored for a few days. Cooked shoots can be stored for a few weeks if kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Bamboo’s fibrous roots and rhizomes.

Rhizome barriers are one way to keep Bamboo rhizome’s within bounds.

Rhizome pruning once or twice a year is another way to keep Bamboo within bounds.

GROWING CONDITIONS FOR THIS PLANT

Light: Prefers full sunShade: Some species tolerate medium to full shadeMoisture: Moist to wet soils. Some species can tolerate very wet to flooded soils if allowed to dry out.pH: 5.1-8.5 (varies on the species)

Special Considerations for Growing:
Only place Bamboo in an area where it can spread or where you will be able to maintain its spread (i.e. keep it from spreading). See Maintenance section below.

Propagation:
Can be propagated from seed, but many species of Bamboo do not go to seed very often. Seed may take up to 6 months to germinate. Division in late Winter/early Spring is most common – just be careful of the emerging small new shoots. Can be propagated from cuttings of 1-2 year plants in Spring.

Maintenance:

If growing a running type or a clumping type that spreads, it is important to keep the shoots in check if you do not want it to spread.

A rhizome barrier (approximately 30 inch/76 cm tall plastic or metal barrier encircling the Bamboo stand) is a common way to keep Bamboo from spreading. It still needs to be checked at least once a year to make sure no rhizomes are trying to “jump” over it. Some cheap plastic barriers are not strong enough to hold back the rhizomes, so I think the metal or even concrete barriers are best.

Harvesting new shoots will keep the Bamboo from spreading outside of your desired area.

Root pruning once or twice a year will also keep the rhizomes in check. This can be done with a rototiller or a sharp spade. Rhizomes are typically very shallow rooted (2-5 inches/5-13 cm deep), and can easily be found. Just dig a trench around the Bamboo grove, and pull out any wayward rhizomes. The root pruning is done at least 2 feet/60 cm from the parent plant. If root pruning is done too close to the parent plant, then the Bamboo cannot produce healthy shoots the following growing season.

Concerns:

Spreading – running, and even some clumping, bamboo can rapidly spread to surrounding areas (see note in Maintenance and in Trivia above)

Permaculture Plants: Camas

13 Comments

Will bamboo grow in very shallow soils? Does it make a good chop and drop plant to build up the richness of the soil elsewhere? I am thinking this might be a plant I could use in some patches where long term erosion has left only a few inches of soil cover. Then cut the stems regularly, chop into shorter lengths and use as a mulch elsewhere in the garden. Would that work?

I’ve got some Fargesia growing in the shade. I haven’t harvested any shoots from it yet, but, I don’t have to worry about it going all the way under my house into the neighbor’s yard, either, as it is a clumping variety.
John S
PDX OR

Thanks again for another great post. I have an opportunity to get lots of free starts from a local master gardener friend this spring and I’m eager to get started but I have also been curious as to why I haven’t seen them included in permaculture discussions. They are a terrific example of a very versatile plant thanks to you and Geoff for bringing this out and providing more info on them.

I greatly applaud your offered organization of so much information on such an efficient and multi-useful family of plants.. However, having had some experience with bamboo, I must suggest that one of the most crucial issues in establishing a symbiotic relationship with them is CONTROL of bamboo’s proliferation-once-established — sort of like Homo sapiens in this regard.

Hi could you tell in which parts of Spain are the bamboo plantations?. I am interested in starting one but I am unsure in which region of Spain would be best to buy land in,as I am reading conflicting or at least confusing information,please help,thank you